Profile of Dick Contino on Famous Like Me

Dick Contino (born January 17, 1930, Fresno, California) is a American singer and accordionist.

Contino began performing in various Los Angeles talent shows, and, beginning in 1946 received some mainstream attention that later became—for a brief period—stardom. He was billed as the "world's greatest accordion player" and appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show a record 48 times.

His success was interrupted when Contino was drafted during the Korean War. Contino ignored the draft notice, and was jailed for a few months before serving in the United States armed forces. The resultant scandal dealt Contino's career a serious blow, but he continued performing, including acting in a few movies in the 1950s and 1960s. For decades, he has performed regularly (and continues to perform) out of Las Vegas, Nevada, where he lives and works with a backing jazz combo ranging from three to five members. Recently married a young beautiful talented Italian girl known by Tonia Cannavino after dating 14 years.

Contino's repertoire is eclectic, ranging from Italian songs such as "Come Back to Sorrento" and "Arrivederci Roma" to standards like "Lady of Spain" and "Swinging on a Star." He possesses a virtuosic technique (often incorporating extremely rapid fingering, glissandos, and bellows shakes) and is also a skilled jazz improvisor.

James Ellroy wrote a novella, Dick Contino's Blues, based on Contino's wartime experiences.

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